“Let’s date.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes!”

“I said no!”

“Well, I say yes!”

It was typical. This conversation that went on forever and ever, and honestly I don’t even know how it began. One moment my life is paraded with video games and comic books, and then the next is a stalker following me home everyday asking stupid questions with a pretty smile. 

I sighed staring back at him, the darken hair that fell just above his eyebrows, ones that were finely aligned and thick. His lips forming into a snicker. 

“What’s wrong with dating me, I’ve been chasing you for a year now.” 

A year, right, our meeting was only chance. Knowing good and well that even if it was a possibility that I’d liked this person, there’s no way anyone would like a quiet being like myself. 

I have absolutely nothing to offer him. I backed up in my seat, slamming a few bills down on the table. The coffee was great if only he wasn’t sitting across from me.

The name’s Mark, and I’ve been chased around by a fairly good—well, an amazingly handsome man for the past year. His name being Park Jinyoung. Though, I’ve only called him Mr. Park. 

I stuffed my hands into my ripped jean pockets with “him” following closely behind. 

“Hey! You can at least say something when you’re leaving. I don’t like being left behind y’know.” His voice was calming in a way, but his appearance was of annoyance I have yet to fully understand. 

I stopped at the park I always passed by on my way to my little apartment. I turned around, stopping him in his tracks. 

“Mr. Park.”

“Jinyoung.” He chimed in. 

“Mr. Park.” 

“Please call me Jinyoung.” I sighed as his smile grew. 

“Why do you keep bothering me! I’ve said it a thousand times, I absolutely will not go out with you! Zero. Zip. Nota!” He just grinned as if my comments were jokes to him. 

“Why won’t you? I’ve followed you around for twelve months, you haven’t made it clear that there is someone else that has your heart.” I gulped as he sighed looking down at his feet. 

“Why...are you following me?” I never thought to ask in the twelve months he’s been around, we simply bicker and argue about dating. Like a never ending cycle. 

“Well, because I like you of course!” I shook my head displeased in his answer. If you haven’t already noticed I’m not much of a people person. I can barely defend myself in regular conversations about video games, it’s quite surprising that I can at least say something in response to him. 

I smirked. “Why? I’m quiet, barely living on my paychecks from a crappy sales company, I don’t even have enough to afford new socks without holes...for whom would a good sensible man like yourself would want with me?” Mind you this Jinyoung person never looked out of style, he was chic with high quality suits and whenever we ended up at a coffee shop, he’d be the one to pay the bill. 

“Hell you don’t even know me...” I mumbled out. He looked a little disappointed from the amount of curses I gave myself, I mean I always focused on what I was lacking, it just made sense to me to do so. I was quite pitiful you see. 

I took a deep breath, feeling his intense stare. 

“I think you’re beautiful.” My eyes widen at the sudden comment, my body tingle with a warmth I’d hadn’t felt in a long while. 

“Huh?” He smiled, turning his body towards me. 

“I think you are absolutely beautiful, that’s why I like you, and that’s my reason for pursuing you.” I don’t really know if I should be happy or not. I mean now that I think about it, I haven’t dated in all my life, not that, well until now, would anyone want me. 

“Won’t you give me a chance? I really, really, really like you.” I could feel myself wanting to move in closer with him, our distance from each other being too great. But, he’s just a guy that’s been foolishly pursuing after me for a year. How could I simply say yes to that?

“Mr. Park...” He gripped my hand, moving closer than I’d normally let him be. His perfectly cute lips curling up to show his white teeth. 

“It’s Jinyoung, call me Jinyoung.” For the first time my heart was beating, almost pounding in a way that I couldn’t fathom. I quickly step back, continuing on my way home. 

“I said no...” He chuckled as he ran to catch up with me. 

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Seriously!”

“Seriously.” I smacked my lips as a small smile appeared. 

“You’re something else you know that.”

“Well, what can I say, the heart wants what the heart wants.” I didn’t expect to laugh so hard at his antics.

And somehow, like every other day, he walked me home. Staring at me with yearning eyes as I made my way to my apartment. We hardly knew each other and yet he looked at me with such gentleness and genuine fondness. I felt my stomach churn. 

“Hey!” He yelled as I opened my door. It was the first time I turned back. 

“You’re beautiful, don’t ever forget that.” My heart swelled and a blush creeped up my cheeks as I slammed the door shut. My heart was aching, but my resolve wasn’t to be tricked. 

How do those words just leave his mouth so effortlessly. I sighed falling flame flat onto my hard cushioned bed. It felt like a sack of rocks was laying underneath here. I my side falling asleep to the echoes of the wind. 

It was that dream again, the one that I would have ever since the stalker came into my life. There he was staring at a younger me in glasses and khakis, your typical nerd, and yet he seemed genuinely happy to be looking at me.

There I shy away from his looks feeling as if my heart wouldn’t be able to handle that kindness that was him. He, gripping my hand the same way as he always did.

“You’re beautiful.” My alarm rung and my body jolted up like a hot pocket. Have I met him before our sudden meeting twelve months ago? I slid off my bed, stretching and looking at the time to know I’m an hour late. 

It’s been twelve months, ten days, eleven hours, thirty-four minutes, and forty-seconds since I meet him, Park Jinyoung. The man who calls me beautiful.